New Ulm weekly review., 1887-09-28
THE HAUNTED CABIN.

THE HAUNTED CABIN.
In the latter part OF the winter O
1879 l was one OF a party of eight
prospecting for mica along the lower
slopes Of the great Balsam range in
western North Carolina.
Trapping was an absorbing pastime,
and more than one of our BOYS had
developed into quite exper. trappers,
but none more so than myself. In
deed, my success in this line had gain
ed for me no little reputation.
One clear. cold day, with one of the
mOuntalneers as guide and assistant, l
left the camp for the purpose of set
ting some traps in a different part of
the range from any yet visited.
Alter a long and tedious tramp
through dense jungles, and many ard
uous climbs up precipitous slopes and
down ag in. we found ourselves in the
middle OF the afternoon near the top
OF one of the loftiest peaks and a good
ten miles from camp.
We had not intended to consume so
much time over the traps, but had be-
come so closely occupied as to fail to
note how fast the day was going.
saw an anxious look overspread
my companions face.
'Tm afraid hits gwineter snow,"
he said, after a. moments troubled ex-
animation OF the clouds overhead.
The words were scarcely out when
several flakes began to drift down
ward.
Our situation was truly an unenvia-
BILE one, on an exposed mountain top
with an altitude Of more than 5000
feet, a heavy snOWstorm imminent, and
the nearest human habitation at least
six miles away.
Wehadgone about threeor four hun
dred yards further, the storm increas-
ing every moment, when suddenly we
came square upon a. small, some
what dilapidated log cabin in a kind of
hollow cave at the very base Of a tow
ering ledge Of rocks, and so swallowed
up in the dense gloom OF the balsams
that but for our almost stumbling up
against it it would have entirely es-
capeu our notice.
ness Iplaced my hand upon the some
what shaky door for the purpose Of
pushing it open to enter, when to my
intense astonishment. my companion
drew back with a frightened cry.
''For Gods sake doan 60 in thar"
he entreated in hoarse, thick tones
"Hit's q haunted place, an thar's a
curse a-hangin' over ite sence Jube
Higgins got that bad TUX with ther
drink ez ter murder his wife an baby!
Jube nisse'f TUX ter ther mounting
an never was heard of no no. an
hesperit O. ther' 'oman an ther baby's
forever a-hanting O. ther' place an
a.crvin' out I've heard ther voices
many time myself a comm down
ther mounting"
In vain tried to demonstrate with
him. Like all the mountaineers,
found him possessed OF no small
amount of superstition.
"Nothin' good'll come O. hit. tell
ye!' he cried, almost franticaly.
Zone O. t'other o US, mebbe both, IL
hev ter go ef we enter that cursid
place"
He finally allowed himself to be led in
to the cabin, although I could plain
ly see his superstitious fears were by
no means allayed.
It was double log cabin with a
somewhat larger front room and a.
much smaller back one divided by a
thin PARTITION. Overhead in the
front room there was loft reached
by q ladder i'm the back room.
OF this much took note by the dim
light then pervading the place. I
would have continued my investiga-
tions but for the intense darkness
that had so suddenly settled down
upon us, caused l we'll knew by the
increase in the storm. By means Of
the leaves and dried twigs that had
collected near one of the windows,
and by tearing up the old ladder,
which we found to be quite rotten,
we soon had a fire kindled in the broad
fireplace, for we had taken the pre-
caution to provide ourselves with
matches.
My mountaineer kept close beside
me during all these operations. In.
deed, he did not once allow me to get
beyond the reach of his hand.
laughed to myself no little over
his somewhat ludicrous appearance
and openly rallied him several times
In regard to his foolish fears and sup
erstitions. But a moment later l
turned almost faint with horror as
the fire, blazing up, showed me a pool
of blood directly beside mel
It was OF considerable size and
freshly spilled. A cold shiver passed
over me, and felt my heart sink, if
not literally down to my boots, then
very near to them, in my Imagination.
AS was sitting directly between
the horrible spot ard my companion
he did not see it, and with feeling of
devout lhankfulness managed, with
out exciting his suspicious, to cover